"India is most flexible on Pancheshwar right now. So we must seize this opportunity," Minister for Energy Dr Prakash Saran Mahat told myrepublica.com. He said that that the delegation will take up Pancheshwar as a major agenda as India also wanted to include this project in the agenda.
Mahat added, "Since the electricity generation cost from Pancheshwar will be significantly low in comparison to several other projects in the country, we have reached an understanding that India will bear 64 per cent of the total cost of the project."
The PM´s foreign affairs advisor, Rajan Bhattarai told myrepublica.com that the government has decided to go ahead with the DPR process with India despite opposition from the Maoists. The project manager of Pancheshwar office in Kathmandu, Dilli B Singh on Wednesday briefed the prime minister in presence of leaders of major political parties, including the Unified CPN Maoists, about the feasibility report of the project.
The two sides have already agreed to build the dam at Rupaligadh. The other segments of the project including irrigation, fishery, tourism promotion and others too will be taken up at the meeting, Minister Mahat said.
Speaking at the meeting organized to brief cabinet and senior leaders of major parties, Maoist leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha expressed reservation on the issue. He said, "Mahakali is a river that borders both the countries. So the right on its water is equal for Nepal and India." Shrestha added, "There are a few controversial issues. Hence the government should not move forward without a national consensus."
Besides Pancheshwar, Mahat said special focus would be given to Bagmati Civilization Project and Naumure Project during the visit. As for Naumure, Mahat said that Nepal would request India to complete the project model that it is currently studying.
Stating that there had been some “obstruction” in the survey of Koshi at the local level, Mahat said that the local problems as well as security issues would be discussed.
On the other hand, the Nepali side will also press for an additional 100 MW power import from India at a concessional rate thereby taking the total import to 150 MW. At present, India exports 50 MW at lower rate to Nepal.
"We will press for additional 100 MW power import from India," Mahat said, adding, "For this, India will have to expedite the process of building the transmission lines at their side of the border."
India refuses to export additional power
The Power Exchange Committee meeting held on August 10-11 in New Delhi ended "inconclusively," the Nepali delegation said on Wednesday. Moreover, India has rejected the Nepali side´s proposal to give an additional 100 MW at a concessional rate.
"The Indian side will not supply additional 100 MW as requested by Nepal any time soon," Yugal Kishor Shah, general Manager, Transmission and Systems Operation of Nepal Electricity Authority said. Shah informed that the meeting concluded without any agreement.
akanshya@myrepublica.com
Related story
APF border out post established at Pancheshwar
